Absurd Quote by H. G. Wells
![“The crisis [the Great Depression] discovered a great man in Franklin Roosevelt...None too soon he has carried America forward to the second stage of democratic realization. His New Deal involves such collective controls of the national business that it would be absurd to call it anything but…” quote by H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/772/h-g-wells-1122_absurd_the-crisis-the-great-depression-discover_120950.jpg)
“The crisis [the Great Depression] discovered a great man in Franklin Roosevelt...None too soon he has carried America forward to the second stage of democratic realization. His New Deal involves such collective controls of the national business that it would be absurd to call it anything but socialism, were it not for a prejudice lingering on from the old individualist days against that word...Both Roosevelt and Stalin were attempting to produce a huge, modern, scientifically organized, socialist state, the one out of a warning crisis and the other out of a chaos...”
About This Quote
Wells argues that the Great Depression revealed Roosevelt’s leadership, portraying his New Deal as a form of socialism that, despite prejudice, aimed to modernize the nation.
In simple terms: Roosevelt’s policies were socialist‑like responses to crisis.
Key Takeaway
Crisis can catalyze large‑scale economic restructuring.
Themes
history
political economy
socialism
crisis response
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- policy analysis of New Deal
- comparative studies of socialist reforms
- educational curricula on 20th‑century politics
Key Concepts
state intervention
ideological bias
modernization
Practical Applications
- study historical outcomes
- inform contemporary policy debates
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines ‘socialism’ in practice?
- How do crises reshape political ideologies?
A Different Perspective
Labeling the New Deal as socialism ignores its mixed‑economy nature and democratic context.
![“[A novel by Henry James] is like a church lit but without a congregation to distract you, with every light and line focused on the high altar. And on the altar, very reverently place, intensely there, is a dead kitten, an egg-shell, a bit of string.” quote by H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/699/h-g-wells-1122_altars_a-novel-by-henry-james-is-like-a-church_158550.jpg)
